The quality definition and framework developed here is intended for operational use, as an approach to practically measuring the quality of recycling alongside the quantity of recycling. It has potential application by different actors for a range of strategic and/or operational contexts. These uses include:
Assessing the current quality of recycling outputs;
Tracking change in qualities produced; and
Assessing the quality benefit from changes to recycling outputs.
This assessment could be made at different levels for different purposes:
By plant operators or waste management companies to use as a performance metric (alongside recycling rate), to track impact of changes on quality of outputs, and define the quality impact of their sorting and reprocessing operations.
By municipalities or producer responsibility organisations (PROs) contracting sorting plants to assess the quality of outputs produced, specify output grades within different quality categories to be produced, and/or differentiate payment by quality category, aligned with any strategy for increasing output qualities at a whole system level.
By regional/national governments to quantify the overall quality of packaging recycling output, track changes in quality resulting from interventions/support/development of local or national markets, and use as a basis for targeting specific quality improvements.
The framework provides a route for categorising recycling outputs by their quality. It puts outputs into a defined scale so that current quality performance can be assessed and improvements can be measured. The assessment is based on simple features of sorted outputs (prior to reprocessing operations) or secondary raw materials produced, and it does not require extensive tracking of end uses. There is scope for expansion to accommodate the end use of the material if this information can be gathered.
The quality categories outlined within the framework prioritises effective separation and preservation of the distinct useful characteristics of the material, with either:
the broadest utility (e.g. natural, de-odourised HDPE which can be adapted for use in most HDPE products); and/or
distinct and specific circular utility (e.g. recycling captured for specific closed-loop recycling cycles, such as yellow bleach HDPE back into yellow bleach HDPE bottles) As such it is ‘doing the best that can be done’ from a resource perspective with the material that is collected for recycling, and preventing the loss of use value of the material.
The further the material remains in mixed outputs with neither specific nor broad utility, the closer to the bottom of the hierarchy it sits, and the less useful it is to the system, though it may still be used productively to displace virgin polymer use.
By defining these broad bands (the strongest determiners of quality of recycling outcomes), the quality bands do not capture effectively differences in quality within the bands (i.e. distinguishing between different levels of PVC in mixed PET outputs, or distinguishing between quite odorous and very odorous polyolefin outputs).
There are some areas of the classification that require further definition to remove remaining subjectivity. For instance, distinguishing between HDPE, PP, and PE film secondary raw materials that are ‘suitable for odour-sensitive applications’ and those that are not, and mapping in more detail the quality requirements of different users of secondary raw materials both for packaging and non-packaging applications. For the assessment of the quality of plastics recycling, the categories should be seen as a first outline. A more systematic and comprehensive study of the quality requirements of specific product groups, beyond the scope of this study, would enable the categories to be further refined.
Assessing the current quality of recycling outputs
The starting point of using the framework would be to collect information on output quantities of different materials segmented by quality categories.
Plant operators could categorise their outputs according to the quality categories;
Those contracting sorting plants could require reporting from sorting plants according to the quality categories, and could (if aligned to strategic development in qualities or to incentivise marginal quality improvements) vary payments according to quality category;
PROs or national governments could seek to collect data from reprocessors that would enable them to assess the overall quantity of recycling outputs within each quality category.
Use of the framework over time would allow a quantitative assessment of changes in the ‘quality of recycling’. If they had little impact on quantities recycled, these changes would otherwise be obscured by a simple recycling rate metric.
Tracking change over time would allow:
A plant operator to:
o show the benefit to quality from changing processes to improve capture into higher quality category outputs; or
o track achievement against quality targets (see below).
A PRO or national government to assess the impact of changes in policy (or in other factors such as investment, market demand, etc) on the development of higher quality recycling.
Targeting improvements in quality
The analysis of the quality of material output by the whole recycling chain would be a useful starting point for a discussion about how and where qualities can and should be increased.
Using the framework as a guide for intervention (for municipalities or PROs contracting plant operators, or for company/regional/national level strategies for increasing quality) means first identifying what improvements in quality bands overall are desirable for which materials.
The choice of output grades and qualities by sorters and reprocessors is primarily determined by market prices available and consistency of demand for outputs of certain qualities. This results in the arrangement of outputs that receives the most revenue or subsidy in relation to the costs of sorting and processing.
In any economic context, improvements in quality that haven’t already been made are likely to come at additional cost, and (depending on local markets) may not result in significant environmental benefit where lower quality outputs can also be used to displace virgin material. A full recycling chain view is crucial as improving the quality categories of outputs from sorting plants, particularly small-scale sorting operations, may be unnecessary or counter-productive if sorting into higher quality recycling categories occurs later (and more cost-effectively) in larger subsequent sorting operations.
Plant management, municipalities and PROs can have an impact in helping to ensure the realisation of improvements in recycling quantities and qualities that are currently economically marginal.11
In addition, producer organisations and regional/national authorities could also take a longer-term perspective on strategies for increasing quality of recycling by shifting the economic picture more fundamentally. This could be by targeting research and development to reduce costs; influencing demand for recycled content; or supporting the development of higher quality reprocessing routes for specific portions of materials.
11 Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd (2020) Analysis of Drivers Impacting Recycling Quality, report for European Commission Joint Research Centre, March 2020.
Table 5-1: Summary of quality framework applications by organisation Organisation Usage of the Quality Framework
Plant management Gather data on sorting plant outputs by category band.
Use as performance metric (alongside recycling rate) to track impact of changes on quality categories.
Waste management company
Collate data on outputs at the point where they leave the management of the company (sorted and/or reprocessed outputs).
Define the quality impact of sorting and recycling activities from their operations
Contractor of sorting plant
(Municipality/PRO)
In the context of a tender process, assess as part of tender process the quality categories of the grades of outputs planned to be produced.
Specific output grades within different quality categories to be produced, aligned with any strategy for increasing output qualities at a whole system level (see below).
Where PROs buy the material, use as the starting point for differentiating payments for differing quality outputs (adjusted away from a simple reflection of expected onward sale values), again aligned with any strategy for increasing output qualities at a whole system level.
System and policy design (PROs / National
Government)
Gather data on sorting plant outputs by category band.
Quantify the overall quality of packaging recycling output produced from in-country sorting and recycling chains. This data can accompany statistics on overall recycling rates for different packaging materials.
Track changes in quality resulting from interventions/support/development of local or national markets.
To use the framework as a guide for intervention, identify what improvements in quality bands overall are desirable for which materials (in the context of demand for higher quality outputs from international, national and local industries).
Appendices
A1.1 EN643 Grades
Table 0-1: Summary of EN643 Standard for paper and packaging Grade Title Materials not
allowed at any level Conditions for meeting grade and unsorted, but unusable materials removed
- No restrictions on short fibre
content Mixed papers and boards
(sorted) - Maximum 40% newspapers
and magazines
Grey board Corrugated material -
Corrugated paper and board
packaging - Minimum 70% corrugated
board, the rest being other packaging papers and boards
Ordinary corrugated paper
and board - Minimum 70% corrugated
board, the rest being other paper and board products
Corrugated paper and board - Minimum 80 % of
corrugated board, the rest being other paper and board products
Ordinary corrugated board - Maximum 10% other
packaging papers and boards
Corrugated board - Maximum 5% other
packaging papers and boards
Magazines - Can allow glue
Magazines without glue Glue -
Magazines with product
samples - Can allow glue. Can contain
non-paper components as attached product samples.
Telephone books - Glue and shavings allowed.
Newspapers and magazines - Minimum 30% each of
magazines. Print products not suitable for deinking limited to 1.5%.
Grade 2:
Medium Grades
Newspapers - Maximum 5% of newspapers
/ advertisements coloured in the mass
Unsold newspapers not
intended for deinking Additional inserts (not originally circulated with publication)
Paper products not suitable for deinking are allowed.
Unsold newspapers Additional inserts (not originally circulated with publication)
-
Lightly printed white
shavings - -
Lightly printed white
shavings without glue Glue -
Heavily printed white
shavings - -
Grade Title Materials not
allowed at any level Conditions for meeting grade and
other allowable materials Heavily printed white
shavings without glue Glue -
Ordinary sorted office paper Carbonless copy paper (CCP) / no carbon required (NCR)
Minimum 60% wood free paper. Less than 10%
unbleached fibres. Less than 5% newspapers and packaging
Sorted office paper CCP / NCR Minimum 80% wood free paper. Less than 5%
unbleached fibres.
Ordinary sorted coloured
letters CCP / NCR, manila
envelopes, file covers, newspapers, cardboard
Minimum 70% wood free paper.
Sorted coloured letters CCP / NCR, manila envelopes, file covers, newspapers, cardboard
Minimum 90% wood free paper.
White woodfree bookquire Hard covers Maximum 10% coated paper White mechanical
pulp-based bookquire Hard covers Maximum 10% coated paper
Coloured woodfree
magazines Non-flexible covers,
bindings, non-dispersible inks, adhesives, poster papers, labels, label trim
Maximum 10% mechanical pulp-based papers
Bleached woodfree
PE-coated board - -
Other PE-coated board - Can allow unbleached board
and paper Mechanical pulp-based
computer print-out - Can allow recycled fibres
Multigrade Newsprint Maximum 10% other wood
containing papers. Maximum 2% paper with plastic layer.
Coloured log end tissue - May contain printed
Mixed lightly coloured
printer shavings - Minimum 50% wood free
papers Mixed lightly coloured
woodfree printer shavings - Minimum 90% wood free
papers
Woodfree binders - Maximum 2% paper with a
plastic layer. Maximum 10%
mechanical pulp-based paper
Special woodfree binders Plastic layered and mechanical pulp-based papers
-
Tear white shavings Glue, wet-strength paper, paper coloured in the mass - White woodfree letters Cash books, carbon paper,
non-water soluble adhesives Maximum 5% mechanical pulp-based paper
White woodfree letters
unprinted Cash books, carbon paper, carbonless paper, non-water soluble adhesives
-
White business forms - -
Printed bleached sulphate
board Glue, polycoated or waxed
materials -
Grade Title Materials not
allowed at any level Conditions for meeting grade and
other allowable materials
printing coloured in the mass
White heavily printed
multiply board Grey and brown piles -
Mixed white heavily printed
multiply board - Maximum 20 % grey and
brown plies.
White lightly printed
multiply board Grey piles -
White unprinted multiply
board Grey piles -
White newsprint Magazine paper -
White mechanical pulp-based coated and uncoated paper
- -
White mechanical pulp-based paper containing coated paper
- -
White coated woodfree
paper Glue -
White woodfree papers Glue -
White shavings Newsprint and magazine
paper, glue Minimum 60% wood free
paper. Maximum 10%
coated paper.
White woodfree shavings Glue Maximum 5% coated paper
White woodfree uncoated
shavings Glue, coated paper -
White envelope cuttings Coated paper Can allow glue
Unprinted bleached sulphate
board Glue, polycoated or waxed
materials -
Unprinted tissue coloured in
the mass Packaging materials -
White unprinted tissue Packaging materials -
Grade 4: Kraft grades
New shavings of corrugated
board - -
Unused corrugated kraft - Kraft liners only
Used corrugated kraft 1 - Kraft liners only
Used corrugated kraft 2 - Kraft liners or testliners having at least 1 liner made of kraft
Mixed packaging Newspapers and magazines -
Used liquid board packaging - Minimum 50% fibres (by weight)
Unused liquid packaging
board - Minimum 50% fibres (by
weight) Wrapper kraft Bitumen or wax coatings -
Wet labels - Maximum 1% glass content.
Maximum 50% moisture, without other unusable materials.
Dry labels - -
Labels with base layer - -
Paper release liner for
self-adhesive labels Labels, cores and other
contaminants -
Unprinted white wet- - -
Grade Title Materials not
allowed at any level Conditions for meeting grade and
Printed white wet-strength
woodfree papers - -
Carbonless copy paper
(NCR) - - Used kraft sacks with plastic
layer papers - -
Unused kraft sacks - Papers with a plastic layer
allowed Unused kraft sacks with
plastic layer papers and poly liners
A2.1 Other Industry Standards
In North America, the trade association, The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), have produced a set of guideline standards for sorted packaging that are intended for use as benchmarks for suppliers and provide an indication of the quality standards that are likely to meet the requirements of their reprocessors. A summary of the ‘hard’
and ‘soft’ limits for different sorted packaging outputs are below.
Table 0-2: Summary of Quality Standards for Plastic Packaging Contaminants not
All: Plastic bags or plastic film, wood, glass, oils and low temperature melting
Total weight of contaminants should not exceed the required % of PET per grade:
% PET fraction (by weight)
such as PETG,
items containing degradable additives
water (2% max weight) Grade F: 72% or below
PET
Thermoforms items containing
degradable additives Total weight of contaminants must not exceed 5% and total weight of individual contaminants by material must not exceed 2%:
aluminium, metal containers and cans, loose paper or cardboard, polystyrene, PLA, PVC, PETG, liquid residues (primarily water)
N/A
PP Small Rigid
Plastics electronics scrap,
items with circuit boards or battery packs,
products with degradable additives,
containers which held flammable, corrosive or reactive products, or pesticides or herbicides.
Total weight of contaminants should not exceed 8% and total weight of individual contaminants by material must not exceed 2%:
metal, paper/cardboard, liquid or other residues, HDPE, any other plastic containers or packaging including PET, PVC, PS, Other
Considered Bulky PP if greater than 5 gallons
PE Clear Film Metallised labels or films, multi-material pouches, silicone coated film, film with oxo or bio-degradable additives, PVDC layers,
acrylic coatings, rubber bands
Total weight of contaminants should not exceed 5%
Pigmented polyethylene films, non-polyethylene other plastics, labels, loose paper, strapping, twine or tape, food waste, liquid residue (2%
max. weight)
Grade B: 80% clear, up to 20% colour, clean and natural LDPE and / or LDPE films Grade C: 50% clear, 50% colour, dry, LDPE or LLDPE films
HDPE Bulky
Rigid Plastics Items with circuit boards or battery packs
Products with degradable additives
Containers which held flammable, corrosive or reactive products, or pesticides or herbicides.
Bottles Bulky rigids,
any plastics with PLA or foaming agents,
PVC,
HDPE motor oil or other automotive fluids
Total weight of contaminants should not exceed the required %s of HDPE per grade
Total weight of individual contaminants by material must not exceed 2%
Other non-HDPE rigid plastic containers or packaging, including PET, LDPE, PP, PS
and Other, liquid residues, aluminium, paper or cardboard
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